At least 80 individuals were killed in northeastern Colombia over the weekend, following unsuccessful attempts by the government to engage in peace talks with the National Liberation Army, a Colombian official reported.
An additional 20 people were injured in the violence, which has displaced thousands.
According to the governor of North Santander, William Villamizar, the army worked to evacuate affected residents on Sunday.
Among the casualties were community leader Carmelo Guerrero and seven others who had been working toward a peace agreement, as detailed in a report released late Saturday by a government ombudsman agency.
The violence unfolded across several towns in the Catatumbo region near the Venezuelan border, with at least three individuals involved in peace negotiations reportedly kidnapped.
The turmoil has driven thousands to flee, many seeking refuge in nearby mountains or government shelters.
“We were caught in the crossfire,” said Juan Gutiérrez, who sought safety in a temporary shelter in Tibú with his family after abandoning their animals and belongings. “We had no time to grab our things. … I hope the government remembers us. … We are helpless here.”
On Sunday, Colombia’s army rescued dozens, including a family and their pet dog, whose owner kept the animal cool with a pack of cold water during evacuation by helicopter.
Defense Minister Iván Velásquez traveled to Cúcuta on Sunday for security discussions, urging armed groups to lay down their weapons.
“The priority is to save lives and guarantee the security of communities,” he stated. “We have deployed our troops throughout the entire region.”
Officials also prepared to deliver 10 tons of food and hygiene supplies to assist approximately 5,000 displaced people in Ocaña and Tibú.
“Catatumbo needs help,” Villamizar emphasized during a public address on Saturday. “Boys, girls, young people, teenagers, entire families are showing up with nothing, riding trucks, dump trucks, motorcycles, whatever they can, on foot, to avoid being victims of this confrontation.”
The recent violence comes after the Colombian government suspended peace negotiations with the ELN on Friday, marking the second breakdown in talks within a year.
The government has called on the ELN to halt all hostilities and allow authorities to deliver humanitarian aid to the region.
“Displacement is killing us here in the region,” said José Trinidad, a municipal official from Convención in North Santander. “We’re afraid the crisis will worsen.” He appealed to armed groups to negotiate a new agreement to prevent further suffering for civilians.
The conflict in Catatumbo pits the ELN against ex-members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a guerrilla group that disbanded after a 2016 peace accord with the government. Both groups are vying for control of a strategic border zone with coca leaf plantations.
In a statement released Saturday, the ELN accused ex-FARC rebels of several killings, including the January 15 murder of a couple and their 9-month-old baby.
The group warned former FARC members that continued aggression would lead to “armed confrontation.”
Army commander, Gen. Luis Emilio Cardozo Santamaría, announced Saturday that authorities had reinforced a humanitarian corridor between Tibú and Cúcuta to ensure safe passage for those displaced.
Urban troops were also stationed in municipal capitals where fear and danger remain high.
The ELN has pursued peace negotiations with President Gustavo Petro’s administration five times, but each attempt has failed due to escalations in violence.
The group has insisted on being recognized as a political rebel organization, a demand critics argue could pose significant risks.
